Can handling machine



Aug. 24, w43. E. E. HANsoN CAN HANDLING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 a HEIN Aug. 24, 1943. E. E. HANSON CAN vHANDLING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 gms/Mvc@ @Y .1| O J o Y..

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CAN HANDLING MACHINE Filed July 16, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 E-ZHanJm-b 32M l MW Patented Aug. 24, `1943 CAN HANDLING MACHINE v Edwin Earl` Hanson, Snohomish, Wash. "ppl'icatimjuly is", 1942, s riai N0."4`51,175

9 claims.- (cl. 19a-211')H l Theinvention aims to provide a new an'd im proved machine for .use in rcanneries to receive sealed cans of vegetables, fruits, etc. as they come from the seamers, and to stand them on end-in orderly rows in cooling trays or the like, for cool-` ing preparatory to labeling and packing.

In carrying out the above end, a further obi; ject is to provide a machine ofthe class describedhaving a novel rotatable., conveyor provided with trays which receive the cans at a `receiving station, convey themto a dumping station, and here dump them on end into a cooling trayor the like. f

Another object isiy to make novel provision whereby the conveyor will not turn during filling of any of thetrays with cans but wil-l turn im mediately after such filling,` moving the iilledtray to the dumping station and positioning the next empty tray at the receiving station.

Yet another object is to make novel provision whereby thecans left standing on a track which conducts them to the rotatable conveyor, cannot interfere with turning of said conveyor when any of its trays has beenlled.

A still further object is the provision of a sirn-` ple, inexpensive, efficient anddurablej machine which will operate automatically to recei-ve,` convey and dump the cans. Y

With the foregoing and minor objects View, the invention residesin the novel subject-mata ter` hereinafter described and claimed, descrip'- tion being accomplished vby referenceto the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section as indicated by-,iine la-l of Fig. 2, parmense? the two inclined track braces being brokenaway. Figure 2 is an end elevation partly insection as indicated byv line 2--2 of Fig. 1 one of the trays of the rotatable conveyor being considered as almost completely lled with cans (see Fig. 1). Figure 3 is a fragmentary end view showing the tray of lledcans; moved to dumping position and illustratingthe cans.l in the act of being dumped on end intoa cooling tray.

Figure 4 is a .fragmentary end elevation similar to a portion of Fig. 2 butshowing the rotatable conveyor turned one step from the positionshown in Fig. 2 to present the next;tray at the cane receiving station, it Vbeingconsidered that some of the cans have already'entered thev tray.

Figure 5 is av viewfsimilarto Fig. 4 but illus tratin-g the` conveyor driving pawl and itscarrier` on their recedingstroke, the pawl being latched against further engagementwith thev rof tary conveyor imtilfrequired'..V

Figurel'i` i s a dtail sectional"'viewon line G-TLS of 5v,4 illustratirigq thel manner in which th pawl is latchecl` againstiurther bperationuntil required. Y

Figure 7 isha" fragmentary perspective view illustrating themanner which. the cans left standing i',lf1efe`e'l f` trackfare'pushd back slightly when the conveyor withM-a iilledftiay startsite move, preventing the track-supported cans from interfering '-vwitl'ib conveyor. turning. "Eig-ure sise fragmentary perspective View 11g iustratmgthe timing' mechanism: whieif'effects' release of the latchedpawl (Figs. 5 and 6). the conveyor ifs next to. beV turned. Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective View showing one e'nclV ofone of the can-receiving trays `of` the rotatableconveyor. f AA rotatableconveyor kllris Shown having 'traysf I .I lfor receivingy cans '12; from'v an inclined feedl track i3 at a receiving station i4. (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) ,i for conveying the cans toa dumping station (Fig.v 3') and for dumping them fori end in orderly rows at said dumping station, `t'lfi'ef dumped' cans. beingV received `in a cooling tray; basket or the' like I5'. This member' I6 may be supported in any suitablefway andjadvanc'ed the proper. distance after dumping 'of eachrow o f cans into the same'. 'Itg is shown supported on a roller conveyor l1 and as the details of the Vinecliam'sm which advancefit, form no parts oftheipresent invention,` thel advancing mechae nism has'- notfbee'n illustrated-. Y i

1 thejpresent disclosure, the conveyor l''in'- cludes' a horiZonta-l` shaft H5V rotatably mounted suitable bearings' of end frames I9. Two end wheels or' disks 2U and 2fy arev secured to the shaft I8 andthe can-receiving trays lil extend betweenn saicl disksA ror wheels and are vpivotally supported thereby, the `.pivotal supports prefer.- ablyfconsistirig of rodsy 22 secured to saidvr'disks or wheels-andfpa'ssing: through opening-s blocks 23.*.1on' the trays, the pivotal mountings of said trays permittingthemto tiltfrom the can-receiv ingrposition shown for vexample in- Fig. ,2,- tothe can-dumping position shown in Fig. 3;' and also permitting returnY of thetrays intofposition to receive other cans. vIier-the present disclosure arcuatetracks `2li are secured to the end frames |19 asshovvn at^ 2'5 and are bracedthereto as at Mi, saidV tracks being `cooperable with the endmost blocks or shoes 23 of the trays I I' t'o proper-v ly Position' the trays-from rwhich the cans have been dumped',.t o again `receive cans from the feed track l-3v as,A illustrated in Fig. 2. These tracks 24 are ofsuch lengththa't .'they'vvill'-hold the trays II against dumping after they have been lled, until they reach the dumping station I5, as will be clear by comparing Figs. 2 and 3.

A one-way driving mechanism is shown for turning the conveyor Ill step-bystep in one direction to successively position its trays at the receiving and dumping stations I4 and I5 respectively. In the present disclosure, the peripheral edge of the wheel or disk 29 is formed with notches 21 which correspond in number vand spacing to the trays I I, and for cooperation with said notches, I provide a driving pawl 28 to which proceeding and receding movements are imparted f.

by means of a pawl carrier 29 which is connected with a reciprocatory pitman 39 actuated by any" appropriate means. The pawlcarrier 29 is prefv erably in the form of an oscillatory arm pivotally ,e

p 34, is a peripherally toothed timing wheel 39 having a lateral lug 31 to outwardly push the lower end of the latch-releasing lever 34 at the proper time to effect release of latch lever 3| (seeFig. 1) Oneway driving means is provided for the timing u wheel-35, said" driving meang'gbeingactuated by ther-cans I2= entering any tray lliwliereby said timing wheel is turned to the proper extent vto .cause the lug 31 to effect release of the latch lever vr3| only when the tray has been completely filled. In the present sho-wing, a spring pawl 38 coacts ,a Withtheyteeth ofthe timing wheel 3B, said spring mounted upon the shaft I8, and the stroke of this frame I9, said arm 39 having a roller or the like arm is of course such that when the pawl 28 .is

in one of the notches 21 (see Fig. 2') with the lowermost tray I I filled with cans, the movement of saidv pawl and carrier will-turn the conveyor I9 suciently to move the lilled tray II to fand past the dumping position I5 (Fig. 3) and position the next empty tray II (Fig. 4) at the rel ceiving station I4. It is of course essentialthat this last mentioned tray remain at the receivingv station I4 until itis entirelyv'lled with cans, and I have, therefore, made provision whereby `the pawl 28 is temporarily held against engagement with the next notch 21 of the wheel 29 when said pawl is returned to its uppermost position bythe carrier arm 29. Thus, when the arm 23 makes its next proceeding stroke, if the tray I I has not been completely filled with cans, the pawl 28 will be prevented from turningV the-l conveyor I9. Provision, however, is made, controlled `by the cans entering the machine, for releasing the pawl 28 and thus permitting it to again function-when the tray `II has been completely filled. In thepresent disclosure, I have provided 'a latch lever`3| on the pawl-carrying arm 29 for latching said pawl vin `the inoperative positionv shown in Figs. 5 and 6, said latch lever 'being urged toward' its pawl latching position by a suitable spring 32. The latch lever 3| is'formed with a pawl-engaging nose 33 which is in readi# ness to engage the pawl 28 while said pawl is turning the conveyor Il) from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 4. This nose 33, however, then abuts a portion of the paw1r28 as will be clear from the dotted lines in Figs. 2V and. 4'. However, as soon as the return stroke of the pawl V29 starts (Fig. 5) and saidfpawl moves out of the notchV 21 (see same view), the latch lever 3| immediately moves to pawl-holding position under the influence of the spring v32, as clearly shownin Figs. 5 and 6. When the latch lever 3| thus holds the pawl 28, this pawl cannot again engage a' notch 21 of the wheel 20 until the latch lever has been released. Thus, the carrier 29 may cone tinue its proceeding and receding strokes without turning the conveyor I until release of the latch lever 3| hasl been effected, and such release oc-v curs only when the tray I I being filled, has been completely lled, as will be explained below.L Y A latch-releasing lever 34 is fulcrumed on ione of the end frames I9 and is provided' with a curved upper end 35 cooperable with the inner end of the latch lever 3|, and whenever the lower end of said lever 34 is pushed outwardlyl (see Fig. 1) said lever swings 'the latchA lever 3| to pawl-'releasing position as also illustrated in Fig'. 1. Thus, upon its nextproceeding stroke,

pawl beingcarried by a vertically swingable arm 39 whichis'vpivoted at 49 to the adjacent end 4I which engages the cans entering the machine as will-be' clear fromFigs. 2,'4'and'8-1-Eachtime the armf39 v'is swung ,upwardly` by acanl 2-passing under the roller 4|, the paw1l38tu'rns lthetiming wheel 36 kon'et'oo-th, and a suitabledog 42A-ma`y be employed tol hold'said tiniir'igfwheel against Vretro-j grade turning as the pawlf38 drops'-witlfi 'thea'rm' 39 when the can passesp- `The ascent of the pawl I8 effectedby the last can'1 I2 enteringithe tray'II turns the timingwlieel 36.' thermal steprequired to `'cause its lugl -31 'to'outwardlyV pushth'e' lower end of the latch-releasing lever A34,' thuscausing this 4lever torelease the latchv -lever-SQI- from-the' pawl 28, and it will be recalled that;l this latch lever was holding said pawl inthe 'inoperative po- 'sinon of Figs; l5 and awmienuin'gor the tray I vtook place. With the,latch.levery 3Irele'a`sed, the-'next proceeding stroke-of'theiariiier- 29 and pawl 28, will cause saidfpawlt engage the'upper-` most notch Eloi-the wheelLZiI., whereupon the conveyor` I9 -will be'turned anothrstep. During this step, -the cans'ini--the' lled-'traydump Ainto the'cooling tray or-the like I6 as seen in 'Fig-13, and the dumped 'tray 'thenf-'Ifioves' beyond Lthis position as the next tray arrives"'atthe receiving stationr|4to-loe iilled. v 'l 1f l* f'- l n It 'will beseen fromv the foregoing-that a v novel and advantageous automaticstructurehas v'been provided for receiving the canswhenany tra'yII arrives -atv the receiving station? I4;3for 4 conveying thermes trayts the dumpig'station- |51 (Fig. 3), l

fordumpingfthe cans Vin anf 'orderlyrowinto a receiving tray'or'the'like 'l'forcooling and for presenting the next empty tray'tothe receiving station I 4 for filling.r vIt will also be 'observed that the cans enteringJ-th'e machinefcontrol-theone-V way driving means' f orrtherotaryvc'onveyorl0 so that the latter will notfbe diivenun'til being filled hasbeen eompletelyflledy yIneorder to prevent" the vcansv left standing' on the track I3, or rather the-innermostof these cans, from interfering'-withtuifningof the foonveyor I when any tray IIhasd been completely filled, novel provision 'is made. V- '.Ihe disk orwheel 29 is of course formed' with vcircuxn'ferentially spaced openings *43l whihfsuccessively aline .with the track I3 in-'rdrthat'ithe cans may `eitrth tray -II uat the receiving "station. rThe rear. edges of these openings are 'providedwithrtoes `44- which push back the track-'supported -cans (see"Fi'g.l=7-) when the conveyor IIl with.aloadedtray-starts to turn,` and itis `thus linsured that flth tracksupported cans cannot cause anyi'ariiminglofA the ina? chine. The free 44a-enters etwee'n tnedown# wardly converging sidesqf stea'riwhchfehi ters the tray I I and thenxt'bar lft'staridn'gfn @Y tray gemss f thejtrack I3', Vand crowds the lattilcanfand others onthe trackback sufficiently to permit free rota-I tion-of the conveyor l lll-if'Whenever this `conveyor has been turned- `one complete step andthe pawl 28 starts onVV its receding strkeftl'ifefrictionf-the shaft I8 infits' bearings'or othersuitable medium turning of the Iconveyor vI'llg f y From the foregoing taken-in connection with theaccompanying drawings, it'will befseen that novelandadvantageous provision hasbeen ade 'for carryingout the objects of-theinvention and while preferred features have beenillustrated,A attention is invited V'again to the possibility' of mak; ing variations asclaim'ed. p

` l, 2 ,1 f 1,1, A can handling machine comprising a sup#r porting* frame, la* rotatable wlieellikefcanV con# veyor mounted onsaid'frame for rotation'about a single horizontal`axis,'said conveyor having circumferentially spaced trays into which the cans roll at a receiving station and by which the cans are conveyed to a dumping station. said trays being pivotally mounted yon axes parallel with the axis of rotation of the conveyor to permit them to dump the cans on end at said dumping station, means for turning said conveyor in one direction step-by-step to successively present said trays at said receiving and dumping stations, and means for holding said trays against dumping while moving from said receiving station to said dumping station, permitting said trays to tilt to candumping position at said dumping station, and for restoring said trays to can-receiving position `as they move from said dumping station to said receiving station.

2, A structure as specified in claim l; said conveyor turning means having a controlling element actuated by the cans rolling intothe machine for bringing said turning means into operation only when the tray at said receiving station has been filled.

3. A can handling machine comprising a supporting frame, a rotatable can conveyor mounted on said frame and having circumferentially may Abe relied upon to-prevent any retrograde within the scope oftheinvention spaced trays for receiving the cans at a receiving station, conveying them to a dumping station and wheel to present a tray at said receiving station,

and means actuated by the cans being handled for at said receiving station has been filled.

4. A can handling machine comprising a supporting frame, a rotatable can conveyor mounted on said frame and having circumferentially spaced trays for receiving the cans ata receiving station, conveying them to a dumping station and dumping them at said dumping station, said rotatable conveyor being provided with a driving Wheel having notches circumferentially spaced to the same extent as said trays, a pawl for` successive cooperation with said notches to drive said wheel step by step and thereby turn said conveyor as required, a proceeding and receding carrier on which said pawl is mounted, a latch on said carrier for latchingsaid pawl in inoperative position each time it leaves a notch of said wheel releasing said holding means only when the tray 3 after taining theiatter-ftrposition stray abra civiiig position,- andA meansA actuated Jby the cans t beingfhandled` forfreleasing said latch only' when tl'ietray` at,.fsaid..receiving station` has" been filled. `5.1'Acan handlingmachine comprising a supporting iframe,` a rotatable'` can conveyor mountdn said-frameiand having circumierentially spaced .trays for receivingthe cans at areceivng station,'conveying themlto 'a dumping station and? dumping themat said. dumping station, said rotatablelconveyor.being provided with a driving .wheeLr a'o'ne-.Way Wheel-driving device for 'e'i'ig'agenientk 'with'.said, VWheel to `turn :said conveyorfstep bystep: las required, a proceeding, and recedingcarriei for said wheel-driving device,

means .forholding said `wheel-driving device temV porarily.4 against-further operation after itthas turned :said wheel--topresentfa tray at said receiving statiom'areleasing memberior said holdingmeans having aportion tobepushed to effect releasefof:saidholdingmeans, altimer Wheel ro tatably: mounted "on 'th'eaforesaid frame. and having a lug to push said portion of said releasing member each time said timer Wheel is rotated a full revolution from a predetermined position, and a one-Way driving device for turning said timer wheel step by step, said driving device `for said timer wheel having an actuating member positioned to be operated once by each can entering the tray at said receiving station, whereby the total operations of this driving device during tray filling will turn saidtirner wheel a full revolution and cause its lug to eiect release of the aforesaid holding means, permitting the afore- `said driving device for said conveyor driving wheel having notches circumferentially spaced to the same extent as said trays, a pawl for successive cooperation with said notches to drive said wheel step by step and thereby .turn said v conveyor as required, a proceeding and receding carrier on which said pawl is mounted, a latch on said `carrier for latching said pawl in inoperative position each time it leaves a notch of said wheel after Iturning the latter to position a tray at receiving position, a releasing lever for said latch mounted on the aforesaid frame and hav` ingsliding contact with said latch, said releasing lever having an end to be pushed to effect release of said latch, a timer wheel rotatably mounted on the laforesaid frame and having a lug to push the aforesaid end of said latch releasing lever each time said timer Wheel is rotated a full revolution from a predetermined position, and a one-Way driving device for turning said timer wheel step by step, said one-Way driving device having an actuating member positioned to be operated once by each can entering the tray at said receiving station, whereby the total operations of said one-way driving device during tray iilling will turn said timer wheel a fullv revolution and cause its lug to effect release of said latch, permitting the aforesaid pawl to engage a notch of the conveyor driving wheel the next time the pawl carrier moves on its proceeding stroke. i

'7.A can handling machine comprising two horizontally spaced axially alined wheels and me'ans rotatably' mounting said. Wheels, canreoeiving traysextending fromA one of said -vvheels to the other, and spaced apartxcircumierentially thereof, said trays being ,pivotally mounted` to tilt from a receiving position to a. dumping' position, a track' along which the cans roll :to 'the outer side of onevof said wheels, saido'ne wheel having ropenings .alined' with saidotraysiitozpermit the cans to roll into "and fill' any tray when it' is presented -at a receivingystationin alinement With said track, meansy for holding each trayk in can-receiving position While` at said receiving station and for permitting the filled Vtray to tilt to said dumping position :when moved beyond saidvreceiving station to a dumpingstation, andmeans for turning said wheels stepjfby step to successively position said trays at saidvr'eceiving station and said dumping station, said wheel turning means having a controllingvelementnactuated by thecams entering the tray at said receiving station for .bringing said means into operation only whenr this tray has been filled.

meansvfor/holding 4each trayin: canreceiving position andgfor permittingthe `iilled tray totilt to dumping position-consisting of a xed arcuate i',racll;Y andv shoes ronsaid Jtrays slidable along said track as lthe wheels andrtraysare turned;` n

ln. .a1 can handling maschine -a r0tatab1l conveyor and means for lturn'inggit step by Ajstvep, said: converorhavinemeansi0 .receive rQWS;f

cans and-havingan end wheel formed Withlopen-` track, to force the-latter backv slightly and prei l vent it from interfering with'turning ofthe con .veyorn n Y -c .i Y EDWIN EARL HANSON. 

